NETWORKING

Endace Brings Real-World Data To Network Testing

For many businesses, testing the capabilities of their networks, and the core systems that run on those networks, requires using some form of testing device to generate a load of simulated traffic to find out where and when problems will occur under heavy loads. But what if a company could use its own traffic to test its networks? The Endace Capture Replay System makes it possible to record up to 16 TBytes of a company’s network traffic and then use that recorded traffic as a basis for net

For many businesses, testing the capabilities of their networks, and the core systems that run on those networks, requires using some form of testing device to generate a load of simulated traffic to find out where and when problems will occur under heavy loads. However, this kind of simulated traffic usually has as much in common with real company traffic as driving full-out on a race track does with a daily commute in urban traffic.

But what if a company could use its own traffic to test its networks? That’s the idea behind new products from network testing and monitoring company Endace. The Endace Capture Replay System, which is offered in an appliance format, makes it possible to record up to 16 TBytes of a company’s network traffic and then use that recorded traffic as a basis for network testing.

According to Endace’s VP of global marketing, Tim Nichols, one of the primary use cases of the product is for testing security systems such as firewalls and intrusion prevention systems. With the tool, it becomes possible to find out when traffic loads cause these devices to drop packets and begin to fail to secure all traffic coming into a company network.

Nichols says that target customers include large companies that maintain network test capabilities, vendors such as security companies that want to test the capabilities of their products under load, and channel partners looking to identify the need of customers for upgraded equipment and networks. Nichols says, "If you are a channel partner, having a tool that you can walk into a customer with and say, 'Let’s test your security infrastructure using your own traffic, and we can see if what you have is providing the level of protection that you think it is,' can be a very valuable tool to have."

The Endace Capture Replay System comes in two different models. A SaaS-based system supports disk speeds of 10 Gbps and has 9.6 TBytes of storage; the SATA-based system supports 16 TBytes of storage and write speeds of 7 Gbps. Pricing for the Capture Replay Systems starts at $70,000.